Creating and Supporting High-Quality Early Learning Programs
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High-quality early learning programs are imperative for families, children, early childhood educators, and communities to thrive. Quality encompasses so many elements, including creating a caring and equitable community of learners, implementing an engaging curriculum to meet meaningful goals, observing and assessing children’s learning and development, and effective leadership and management. Deep thinking, sound practices, and sustained investments are needed to put quality in action for all.
While authors in this issue of Young Children each delve into a few specific elements of quality, all of them illustrate that quality requires ongoing attention and supports as well as continuous improvement. NAEYC’s essential position statements guide us toward the many elements of quality, in particular the statements on developmentally appropriate practice and on early learning program standards (which is currently being revised with input from the field). This issue of Young Children represents multiple voices and perspectives sharing their experiences on what quality means in their settings, and the common theme that comes through is that quality is not a magic bullet but rather a continuous process of improvement. Read the Making Connections column by NAEYC’s chief executive officer, Michelle Kang. In it, she introduces each of these articles on quality, emphasizes what we can learn from the expertise and stories in this issue, and recognizes NAEYC’s own continuous work related to our mission to promote high-quality early learning for all children.
While there is not a one-size-fits-all approach, this issue demonstrates how continuous work and growth lead to quality programs. By being committed and focused while also flexible and responsive, early childhood educators and leaders can address the multifaceted elements that will provide a solid foundation from which children can thrive.
I hope these stories and strategies help you envision and implement quality in your setting.
—Annie Moses
As you read the articles in this issue, consider:
- As a program leader, how can I better guide my staff through a quality improvement process? As a staff member, how can I embrace and contribute to the process?
- What lessons can I learn from others’ efforts to improve the quality of their early learning systems?
- What is one change I can make to the physical learning environment in my setting that will maximize children’s development?
- What steps can I take to prepare the early childhood professionals I work with to meet NAEYC Early Learning Program Standards and attain NAEYC accreditation?
- This issue also contains an article on using turn taking to support preschoolers with ASD. What are some ways I can introduce turn-taking play into my setting?
Children in CaShawn Thompson’s toddler classroom learned about zoo animals, including zebras. They talked about what the animals look like, especially their beautifully patterned stripes. To share what they learned, some children used scissors to cut black pieces of paper into stripes, and others used their fingers to tear the paper. With glue, they attached their black stripes to white paper.
Is your classroom full of children’s artwork? To feature it in Young Children, see the link at the bottom of the page or email [email protected] for details.
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Send your thoughts on this issue, and on topics you’d like to read about in future issues of Young Children, to [email protected].
Would you like to see your children’s artwork featured in these pages? For guidance on submitting print-quality photos (as well as details on permissions and licensing), see NAEYC.org/resources/pubs/authors-photographers/photos.
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